Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

• An overview of the Cabinet meeting
• The Prime Minister's attendance to the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 67th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa on June 23
• The demise of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would first like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 12 general measures, as well as the promulgation of laws, a cabinet order and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Minister Nakagawa made a statement concerning the White Paper on Disaster Management and the White Paper on Gender Equality. The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Minister Furukawa made statements concerning the fiscal 2011 Annual Report on the Promotion of Science and Technology. Deputy Prime Minister Okada, acting as Prime Minister in the absence of Prime Minister Noda, made a statement concerning  acting  Ministers while Ministers in charge are away on an overseas visit.

I have another item to report, concerning the attendance of the Prime Minister at the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 67th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa, on the Memorial Day for the War Dead, this coming Saturday, June 23. The Prime Minister will make a one-day visit to Okinawa Prefecture in order to attend the 2012 Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 67th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa, which will be held in the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman City. The details of the Prime Minister's itinerary are currently being arranged. Prior to the Memorial Ceremony he is scheduled to lay a wreath at the National Cemetery for the War Dead, and following the ceremony he will also visit the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) in Naha city to offer his encouragement to personnel there.

I have one more item to report, concerning the demise of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who passed away on Saturday, June 16. The Government of Japan would like to express heartfelt condolences to His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia and to the people of Saudi Arabia, and Prime Minister Noda has issued a statement of condolence. At the Cabinet meeting today, it was decided to request His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince and former President of the House of Councilors Satsuki Eda, as an Ambassador on a Special Mission, to visit Saudi Arabia to offer condolences. Prior to this decision, on Sunday the Prime Minister visited the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tokyo to express his condolences and sign the condolence book. Minister for Foreign Affairs Gemba also visited the Embassy on Monday to express his condolences.

Q&As

• The Osprey aircraft accident in the U.S. (in relation to consideration on deploying Osprey aircrafts to Okinawa)

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Following the Cabinet meeting I believe that Minister for Foreign Affairs Gemba and Minister of Defense Morimoto held talks concerning the response to the Osprey transport aircraft accident [in the U.S.]. What sort of information did they discuss today?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: They exchanged information that is available at the current time. This includes the fact that the United States Government has indicated that an accident investigation committee has already been established by the U.S. Air Force to investigate the accident in Florida, and investigations have been initiated, including debriefing of the personnel who were injured in the accident. As of now, we have received notification that measures prohibiting the Osprey aircraft from flying have not been implemented. Very soon after the accident, the Government of Japan issued a strong request to the United States for the swift provision of information concerning the results of the accident investigation. The United States has recognized the seriousness of the issue and has pledged to provide information promptly to the Government of Japan once the results of the accident investigation are available. The two ministers confirmed that based on the content of information provided by the United States, ministers concerned in Japan would continue to cooperate and consider a response.

(Abridged)